In the aforementioned co-pending, commonly assigned applications, all of which are invented by Kenneth R. Shoulders, there are disclosed various sources and devices wherein discrete, contained charged particle bundles are derived and propagate to various devices. In a particular cross-section of a propagation path, a group of such bundles are simultaneously present. The group of bundles is similar, in the cross section, to a key chain or necklace. Each bundle has a configuration similar to a sphere and is approximately equi-spaced from a center point of the bundle group. It is believed that the charged particles in each bundle are predominantly electrons and that each bundle has a density approaching that of a solid.
The bundles are derived in the prior art device by locating a cathode and counterelectrode, i.e., anode, on a solid dielectric. Voltage is applied between the anode and cathode, causing a group of bundles to propagate in a slot on a surface of the dielectric between the anode and cathode. In one embodiment, the cathode is a metal wire wetted by mercury. The prior art indicates that x-rays are derived by causing such bundles to propagate through a vacuum to an x-ray target which emits the x-rays from a face of the target opposite from a face of the target on which the bundles are incident. Conversion of energy is also disclosed in the aforementioned prior art by causing the bundles to traverse a slow wave structure, similar to a slow wave structure of the type employed in a travelling wave tube. The prior art also indicates that electromagnetic energy can be radiated by applying such bundles to a slot configured as an undulating wave.
The discrete, contained charged particle bundles are derived in response to a discharge voltage being established between the anode and cathode along the solid dielectric surface. The cathode, anode, solid dielectric and voltage are apparently such that an image charge is established on the solid dielectric. The image-charged solid dielectric causes the discrete, contained charged particle bundles to propagate along a path defined by the slot in the dielectric surface.